Carburetor attachment



ocfl 22, 1946.

J. HUTCHINSON CARBURETOR ATTACHMENT' Filed Dec. l2, (1944 l INVENTOR. Jb )fu cza'nson Patented Oct. 22, 1946 m UNITED STATES PATENTA `oFFlcE m 2,409,937 Y CARBURETOR ATTACHMENT Job Hutchinson, Great Neck, N. Y. p

Application December 12, 1944, Serial No. 567,870

` 2 Claims. l

The present invention relates to attachments for carburetors.

It is known that in cold weather automobile engines are diflcult to start. A standard method of facilitating the starting of cold engines is to cut oli or choke olf the air intake at the carburetor. When the engine is warmed to a normal operating temperature, the choke is released and air is permitted ,to enter the carburetor thereby providing a leaner explosive mixture.

The present device is intended to be used in conjunction with conventional carburetors and including carburetors in automobiles which are not provided with automatic choking means.

Essentially, this invention comprises a device for automatically admitting an auxiliary flow of air into the passage through which the explosive mixture from the carburetor to the intake manifold passes, when the engine is warm and for automatically cutting off said auxiliary flow of air when the engine is cold.

Its principal object, therefore, is the provision of a device for automatically rendering the explosive mixture leaner when the engine is operating at its normal functioning temperature,

thereby providing a better mixture at a considerable saving of gasoline.

Another object is the provision of a device of the character described which contains auxiliary automatically operated air supply means and auxiliary automatically operated explosive mixture mixing means functioning in conjunction with said iirst mentioned auxiliary means.

These and other objects are attained by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in whichi l Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the embodiments of the device, partly broken away to expose one of the auxiliary air distributing grooves;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of that part of the device which is shown in Fig. 2, partly broken away to expose the auxiliary air distributing groove shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1 showing one of the thermostatically controlled valve units;

Fig; 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the device;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line I-1 of Fig. 6;l and y Fig. 8 isa fragmentary side View of the device 2 shown in Fig. `6 shown fixed between the carburetor and the intake manifold.

The device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive is intended for use on eight cylinder automobiles and the device shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive is intended for use on four to six cylinder automomiles. In Fig. 8 the normally adjoining parts of the carburetor and intake manifold of a six cylinder automobile are shown, the second embodiment being sandwiched in between said normally adjoining parts.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the device therein shown has a pair of upper and lower plates 10 and a thin gasket III sandwiched in between sai plates. The overall dimensions of the plates correspond to the dimensions of flange I2 of the intake manifold and flange I3 of the carburetor. Screws I4 hold the two plates together. Oppositely situated holes I 5 in said plates register with corresponding holes in the above mentioned flanges and accommodate in association with said flange holes screws or bolts IE6. It is these bolts that hold the device in place between said flanges.

It will be seen that in the center of each said plate I0 is a somewhat large circular aperture I'I and that a bridge I8 integral with said plate spans said circular aperture on a line passing through its center. The shape and dimensions'of' circular aperture I'I correspond to the cross sectional shape and dimensions of passage I9 of the manifold and passage 20 of the carburetor through which the explosive mixture normally passes. When the device is xed tothe flanges of the manifold and carburetor as shown in Fig. 8, passages I9 and 20 and circular aperture I1 register with one another.

` A pin 25 is xed at oneend to the center portion of bridge I8 of upper plate I0 and at the other end to bridge I8 of the lower plate I0. Mounted on said pin is a self-lubricating bearing 25 and mounted on said bearing is a fan 2'I, said fan being rotatably mounted with respect to pin 25.

It will be seen in the drawing that a circular groove 28 of a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of circular aperture I'I is formed on the meeting faces of plates I0 in concentric relation to said circular aperture, the groove on the upper face registering with the groove on thelower face and forming therewith a single groove 29. A passage or boring 3U formed in the upper of plates I0 provides communication between grooves 28 andthe atmosphere. A second passage or boring 3| formed in the lower of plates I0 also provides communication between grooves 28 and the atmosphere. A small depression or ball-valve seat 32 is formed at the atmosphere end of passages 30 and 3| for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

It will be seen in Fig. '7 that gasket Il extend from the edges of plates l to the outer circumference of single groove 29 and not beyond said groove to circular aperture l1. A space or slit 33 will therefore be formed between plates I0 'of a depth corresponding to the thickness of gasket Il, between groove 29 and circular aperture I1. Communication will thereby be elected between said groove 29 and said circular aperture I with ka ball 39. YThe choice of metals is such in said b i-metallic strips that a change in temperature will cause outward movement of the free ends of said strips away from the plates to which they are respectively afiixed. It will be noted that when these bi-metallic strips-which of course comprise thermostatic members-are in their normal uncurved state, their respective balls 36 and 39 rest snugly against seats 32 in said plates, thereby effectively shutting off communication between the atmosphere and groove 29 through passages 30 and 3l.

The device operates as follows:

When the engine is cold, or the temperature of the outside air is below 32 F., the bi-metallic strips 35 and 31 will maintain their normal uncurved position, thereby maintaining their respective ball members in close contact with seats 32. When these bi-metallic strips are so situated, air cannot pass from the atmosphere into and through passages 30 and 3l. When the temperature of the engine increases, however, or when the air is warmer than 32 F., bi-metallic strips 35 and 31 will be caused to bend or curl out` wardly, thereby disengaging ball members 316 and 39 from their respective seats 32. Communication between the atmosphere and groove 29 through passages 3|) and 3| would thereby become established. Since there is communication between groove-ZQ and circular opening I1 through slit-,33, communication between circular aperture l1 and the atmosphere will be effected by the departure of balls 36 and 39 from their respective seats 32. The suction that draws the explosive mixture from the' carburetor/'through passage 2i) of the carburetor will also draw said mixture through the circular aperture l1 and the manifold passage I9. In consequence of said action, airwill'be drawn in from the atmosphere through passages 36 and 3l into groove 29 thence through slit 33 and finally into circular aperture l1. The newly admitted air will be mixed with said explosive mixtureby the action of fan 21, which fan iscaused to rotate by the same suction which draws the explosive mixture out of the carburetor and the additional air out of the atmosphere.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that the basic principle and basic ele- Vments of said embodiment are identicalr with those of the embodiment rst above described. The fernbodimentnow under consideration. com- 4 prises a pair of upper and lower plates 50 which are substantially rectangular in shape.' The reason for this :configuration is that the normally adjoining flange members of the carburetor and intake manifold of conventional eight cylinder automobiles are of corresponding rectangular shape. In place of circular aperture l1 of the embodiment first .above described, the present embodiment has two circular apertures 5I and 52 formedin'each of said plates 50. Bridges E3 and 54 respectively, span 'the circular apertures of plates 59. A pin 55 is fixed to bridges 53 and pin-59 is fixed to bridges 54 in the same manner and place as pin 25 in the bridges of the rst embodiment.

Mounted on pins 55 and 56 are self -lubricating bearings 51 and 53 respectively, and mounted on said bearings are fans 59 and 60 respectively. Like fan 21, fans 59 and 60 are freely rotatable relative to their respective pins.

Plates 5d are separated by means of a thin gasket 6l which performs the samefunction as gasket Il ofthe rst described embodiment. Corresponding to grooves 28 of the i-lrst described embodiment are C-shaped grooves 62 and 63 formed on the meeting faces of plates 50. They areA concentric with circular apertures 5IV Aand 5'2 andare in registration, respectively, with each other thereby forming grooves 94 and 65 respectively. They are not completely lcircular grooves forthe reason that the close proximity of circular aperture! to circular aperture `52 ren ders this impossible. i Like the gasket in thefirst described embodiment, gasket 6! extends from the outer edges of plates 50 to ,the Vouter circumference of grooves B4 and 55. `In consequence, a narrow Aslit 55V is formed between groove 64 and circular aperture 5l and a second slit,61 is formed between groove 65 and circular aperture 52. These slits are in communication with each other in the area separating circular aperture 5! from circular aperture 52. Communication between groove 64 and the atmosphere is provided by passage or .boring 19, and communication between groove 35 and the atmosphere is provided by passage or boring 1|. Eachisaid boring is provided at its outer end with a small depression or ball-valve seat 12 which corresponds in function to ball-valve seats 32 of th embodiment first above described. l

Amxed at one end to the upper of plates 5i) by means of screw 13 is a bi-metallic strip 14,

and affixed lat one end to the lower of platesA 50 by a means of screw 15 is a bi-metallic strip 16.- YA ball 11-is xed tothe free end ofbimetallic strip 14 and a ball 13 is aflixed to the freerend of bi-metallic strip15.-` Itv will be seen in Fig. v1 that said bi-metallio strips bend in both directions. Whenit is cold, that is when the engine is cold, or when the temperature of the outside air is below 32 F., the strips bend inwardly and cause theirv respective ball members to enter into close contact with their respective seats, thereby eiectively shutting oif communication between the atmosphere and grooves 64 and 65. When the temperature of the outer air rises above 32 F. or when the engine is warmed up, the bi-metallic strips bend outwardlyl thereby causing their vrespective ball members to disengage their respective seats. Air is therefore free to flow through passages 10 and 1l into grooves 64 and 65 and thence through slitsl 69 and 61 into circular apertures 5i and 52. Such flow is induced'asabove mentioned bythe suction vof the, engine which drawsthe explosive mixture from the carburetor. The suction also causes rotation of fans 59 and 50 thereby effectively mixing the newly admitted, air with the explosive mixture.

The embodiments above described are but preferred embodiments of the invention. Constructional modications may be incorporated therein without departing from the basic principles thereof. For example, there is nothing critical about the precise shape of plates l!) and plates 50. They may be made to coliform to whatever shape the normally adjoining carburetor and intake manifoldanges are fashioned. Other types of thermostatically controlled valves may be used in place of the thermostatically controlled ballvalve shown and described. The gasket may be madeof material that conducts heat well or of material that does not conduct heat well, depending upon whether it is desired to have both plates receive heat by conduction -from the manifold or whether it is desired to have only one of the plates receive such heatthe other plate being exposed only to the heat of the air. A gasket may be interposed ubetween the device as a whole and the intake manifold ange, thereby effectively removing said device from thermal contact with the manifold. In such case, the thermostatically controlled valves on said devices would be subject solely to the temperature conditions of the air surrounding them and not to the heat which in the other embodiments is conducted to them from the manifold.

Although a temperature of 32 F. has herein been mentioned, said temperature is not critical, and the thermostatically controlled valves may be designed to open at any other temperature.

I claim:

1. A carburetor attachment for insertion between the carburetor and the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, said attachment having a passage through which the explosive mixture from the carburetor passes to the manifold, an air distribution chamber surrounding Y said passage and communicating therewith, a

pair of oppositely situated passages which provide communication between said distribution charnber and the atmosphere, a pair of thermostatically controlled valves on said pair of passages which open at a predetermined temperature to permit an auxiliary supply of air to be drawn into said rst passage through said pair of passages and said distribution chamber, and a freely rotating fan in said first passage which mixes the auxiliary supply of air with the explosive mixture, each of said thermostatically controlled valves comprising a 'bi-metallic strip having thermostatic properties, ailxed at one end to said attachment and having a plug affixed to its free end registering with the particular passage which the valve controls.

2.A carburetor attachment for insertion between the carburetor and the intake manifold of an internal combusion engine, said attachment having a plurality of passages through which the explosive mixture from the carburetor passes to the manifold, air distribution chambers surrounding said passages and communicating with them, secondary passages which provide communication between said distribution chambers and the atmosphere, thermostatically controlledV valves on said secondary passages which open at a predetermined temperature to permit an auxiliary supply of air to be drawn into said rst mentioned passages through said secondary passages and said distribution chambers, and freely rotating -fans in said first mentioned passages which mix the auxiliary supply of air with the explosive mixture, each of said thermostatically controlled valves comprising a loi-metallic strip having thermostatic properties, affixed at one end to said attachment and having a plug aixed to its free end registering with the particular passage which the valve controls.

JOB HUTCI-HNSON. 

